I. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of crushing methods and apparatus;
The invention is more particularly related to crushing of small items such as medicine pills and food items like garlic.
The invention is even more directly related to crushing of such small items and reducing them to small particulate bits with emphasis on the dispensing of such bits in an appropriate manner for the particular item involved.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There are various crushers for medicine pills. All of those with which I am familiar operate on the principle of a directly applied force, such as a hammering-like action, or other directly applied force perpendicular to the axis of the article being crushed. The present invention uses a unique force application at an acute angle to the axis of the article being crushed so that the article being crushed is gradually broken down over its length and/or width.
There are numerous presses for garlic and the like. All of the presses of which I am aware for such use consist of a pocket with perforations in the bottom and a pressing member which moves vertically within the pocket to squeeze garlic or the like through the perforations where it falls to a surface suitable to collect the garlic. Great pressure is required, and in the case of garlic or the like this can result in significant bruising or other damage to the product. Additionally, waste created by the operation collects within the pocket. It is quite difficult to remove the waste and clean the press.
A special embodiment of the crusher of this invention can be used to press garlic and the like. In this embodiment, garlic or the like is placed in a specially formed holding pocket. A perforated pocket collects garlic or the like which is forced into the perforated pocket by relatively light pressure applied on a bias. The garlic or the like is collected in the perforated pocket for easy removal when desired. Waste material, being outside of the perforated pocket and within the holding pocket, is easily removed and the crusher is easily cleaned.
In this regard I know of no prior art using a crushing method or apparatus of the nature of the within described and illustrated method and apparatus.